The Internet of Things (IOT) is a term used to describe networks of numerous devices, other than the commonly connected computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets, communicating over the Internet. Some projections are that there will be billions of such devices connected over the Internet in the near future.
Some building blocks used in IOT devices include ultra-low power microcontrollers and systems on chips (SoCs). In order to exchange data within such devices, digital general purpose input output (GPIO) connections are used. Since a design challenge in IOT devices is the desire for ultra low power consumption at a low component cost, it is highly desirable to reduce power consumed by GPIO connections. GPIOs can operate in an active node and in a standby mode, and it is desirable to reduce leakage current in both modes. For example, it is desirable for leakage currents to be less than 1 microampere in active mode, and less than 20 nanoamperes in standby mode.
Current GPIOs for used in IOT devices may still have undesirably high leakage currents, and thus greater power consumption than desirable. This is particularly of concern in IOT applications powered by batteries, for example. Thus, further development in the area of GPIO circuitry is desirable.